BBC SPORT | Football | Internationals | Brazil will stage 2014 World Cup Brazil will stage 2014 World Cup Romario, Dunga and Brazilian President Lula with the World Cup Brazil has been named as the host nation for the 2014 football World Cup. The South American country was the only one bidding to host the tournament, which was due to be staged on the continent under Fifa's rotation system. Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said: "Soccer is more than a sport for us, it's a national passion." Brazil have won the tournament a record five times and hosted the World Cup once before, in 1950, when they lost 2-1 in the final to Uruguay. 606: DEBATE Will Brazil be good hosts? It is the first time the World Cup is being held in South America since Argentina hosted, and won, the 1978 tournament. Brazil is setting aside around ï¿½550m to update its stadiums, including the Maracanï¿½ in Rio de Janeiro which hosted the 1950 World Cup final.

And that money will need to be spent wisely as Fifa's inspection report has identified 18 grounds with more than 40,000 capacity that could host games. These will be whittled down to nine or 10. However, of the 18, four would have to be re-built from scratch and all of the others need to undergo substantial renovation. This World Cup will have such a big social and cultural impact in Brazil Fifa president Sepp Blatter So basic are the facilities at the moment that most of the stadia are not even equipped for television commentary. Fifa president Blatter said, however, that he had been impressed by Brazil's plans for 2014 despite the fact they were the only bidders. "The task was not easy - for us it was a real big challenge to have the same list of requirements and the same conditions for only one candidate," he said. "There was an extraordinary presentation by the delegation and we witnessed that this World Cup will have such a big social and cultural impact in Brazil.

Brazilians celebrate at the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio "This is the country that has given to the world the best football and the best footballers, and they are five times world champions." Fifa's inspection report added: "Brazil has a rich history of hosting sporting and other international events. "But the standards and demands of the World Cup will far surpass those of any other event staged in the history of Brazil in terms of magnitude and complexity. "The inspection team wants Fifa experts to review the process and progress of host city selection to ensure that adequate financing is committed and secured." As news filtered through, celebrations broke out in various towns around the country with fireworks and festivities set to continue into the night. Around 100 people unfurled a green and yellow banner, emblazoned with the words 'The 2014 World Cup is ours', at the foot of the famous Christ the Redeemer statue which overlooks Rio. Meanwhile, women's world champions Germany will host the 2011 Women's World Cup after beating off competition from Canada.

Bookmark with: Brazil to host 2014 World Cup - CNN.com Brazil to host 2014 World Cup Story Highlights Five-time winner Brazil will host 2014 World Cup football finals Brazil only candidate after Colombia pulled out in April Announcement made by FIFA president Sepp Blatter in Zurich ZURICH, Switzerland -- Brazil has been awarded the 2014 World Cup finals, FIFA president Sepp Blatter announced Tuesday. FIFA president Sepp Blatter makes the announcement that Brazil will host the 2014 World Cup finals. Blatter said Brazil now has "not only the right, but the responsibility to organize FIFA's World Cup 2014." Blatter then handed the World Cup trophy to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who flew in for the announcement. "Soccer is not only a sport for us," Lula said.

"It's more than that: Soccer for us is a passion, a national passion." He promised Brazil "will now, with great pride, do its homework." And, he added, "if everything works out well, we will win once again a World Cup." Brazil was the only candidate to pitch to host football's global showpiece after South American rivals Colombia pulled out of the running in April. However, Brazil had been told by FIFA it wasn't guaranteed the tournament simply because it was the only candidate, saying it had to provide a solid bid package. Blatter said the lack of competition from other South American nations was one reason behind FIFA's decision Monday to do away with the rotation system that gave each continent a turn at hosting the World Cup. The decision takes effect with the 2018 tournament. "We are a civilized nation, a nation that is going through an excellent phase, and we have got everything prepared to receive adequately the honor to organize an excellent World Cup," Brazilian Football Confederation president Ricardo Teixeira said.

Brazilian Sports Minister Orlando Silva, national team coach Dunga, veteran striker Romario and renowned author Paulo Coelho were among those making the trip to Zurich -- and the final decision was made by FIFA's executive committee after a 30-minute presentation. "Of course, dreams demand hard work and we Brazilians are ready to face this task," Coelho said. "All the countries in the world have two teams -- the national squad and the Brazilian squad." Brazil hosted the World Cup once before, 57 years ago. Since launching its bid for 2014, Brazil has emphasized why the country needs the World Cup, much more than what it has to offer the tournament. "Over the next few years we will have a consistent influx of investments. The 2014 World Cup will enable Brazil to have a modern infrastructure," Teixeira said. "In social terms will be very beneficial." "Our objective is to make Brazil become more visible in global arenas," he added. "The World Cup goes far beyond a mere sporting event.

It's going to be an interesting tool to promote social transformation." Tuesday's presentation was smoother than the one in July, which underlined Brazil's status as a developing nation with repeated images of its car factories and dry statistics. Blatter had recently questioned Brazil's infrastructure and bid plans, but FIFA said last week that a stadium-inspection trip in August showed the country could put on "an exceptional" tournament. However, there have been delays in hosting some major events, problems with violence in the streets and the public transportation system in the country is often overloaded. The Brazilian soccer confederation estimates that the construction and remodeling of stadiums will require an investment of $1.1 billion, though that could vary significantly depending on the cities chosen to host games. Brazil is home to 10 of the world's largest football stadiums, including the famous Maracana where more than 200,000 fans saw the home side lose 2-1 to Uruguay in the 1950 World Cup final. Renovations have since reduced its capacity to 95,000 seats, with thousands more standing. E-mail to a friend Copyright 2007 CNN.

All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report. 2014 FIFA WORLD CUP™ In Brazil EDUCATION 2014 FIFA WORLD CUP™ In Brazil For the second time in history, Brazil will be hosting the FIFA World Cup™. This is an international association football tournament that is anticipated the world over. It is attended by hundreds of thousands of fans from all over the world, and is watched by millions as the football games are played live on television. During this time, almost every television in the world is tuned in to one game. Being the host country is considered to be an enormous privilege. Although Brazil qualified as the host on 30 October 2007, the games will only be held from 12 June to 13 July of 2014. This gives the country time to prepare its infrastructure, amenities and facilities for the certain influx of football fans. The first time that the FIFA World Cup™ was hosted in Brazil was in 1950. This country is only one of five to have hosted the tournament twice, preceded by Mexico, Italy, France and Germany.

Brazil was contending against Colombia and, for a time, Argentina. The 2014 FIFA World Cup™ will see the participation of 32 teams from five or six confederacies. There are 12 Host Cities™ around Brazil, which will each host a number of the tournament matches. This is an additional two cities compared to the number usually selected, 10. This increased number of cities is due to Brazil’s extensive size.The selected Host Cities™ are: 1.Brasília 2.Cuiabá 3.Manaus 4.Recife Selection of World Cup Football Host Home > Events > Football > Football World Cup > Hosts Host Country Selection The selection of host country for the Football World Cup has changed over time. For all the World Cups between 1930 and 1998, the hosting rights alternated between either Europe, South America, and North America. It was not until the 2002 World Cup, when the tournament was hosted in Asia, that the World Cup was held outside of these three continents. 2002 Initially in the bidding process for the 2002 World Cup, South Korea and Japan were competitors.

However, just before the vote they agreed with FIFA to co-host the event. Unfortunately the rivalry and distance between the two countries led to organizational and logistical problems. We will not see a co-hosted event again as in 2004 FIFA officially stated that its statutes did not allow co-hosting bids. 2006 The decision to award the 2006 World Cup to Germany was controversial, since it was widely expected that the tournament would take place in South Africa. The final tally was 12 votes to 11 in favor of Germany. Future Host Cities Following issues with bribery in the lead up to the vote for the 2006 World Cup host city, FIFA decided to rotate the hosting of the final tournaments between its confederations. After a review in 2007, FIFA decided to end the continental rotation policy in October 2007. Instead, countries that are members of the same confederation as either of the last two tournament hosts are ineligible. This policy made African countries ineligible for 2018 and South American countries ineligible for both 2018 and 2022.

Other factors that are considered as part of the selection process include the number of suitable stadiums and potential for success and profit. 2010 The first World Cup bidding process under continental rotation was the 2010 World Cup, in which FIFA accepted five bids from African nations. The winning nation was South Africa, making it the first World Cup held in Africa. It became the largest sporting event ever held on that continent, as the Olympics have yet to visit there. 2014 The 2014 World Cup, which FIFA had earmarked for the South American region, is to be held in Brazil, since the South American Football Confederation made it their choice. 2018 and 2022 Bid FIFA made a joint announcement on Dec 2, 2010 of the winning hosts for both 2018 and 2022. The 2018 World Cup was awarded to Russia. Other contenders for host country were England, and joint bidders Spain/Portugal and Netherlands/Belgium. For the 2022 event, the winner was Qatar. Other contenders for host country were Australia, Japan, South Korea and USA.

Football: Brazil awarded 2014 World Cup | Football | The Guardian Brazil awarded 2014 World Cup 'This World Cup will have such a big social and cultural impact in Brazil' From the left, Paulo Coelho, Dunga, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Romario and Ricardo Teixeira celebrate Fifa's decision. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images Staff and agencies Tuesday 30 October 2007 11.38 EDT First published on Tuesday 30 October 2007 11.38 EDT Close This article is 9 years old The Fifa president Sepp Blatter today confirmed that the 2014 World Cup will be staged in Brazil , who will host the tournament for the first time since 1950. Brazil were the only country bidding to host the finals, but their delegation went through the formality of making a 30-minute presentation to the world governing body's executive committee in Zurich earlier today, before being officially awarded the finals.

"The task was not easy - for us it was a real big challenge to have the same list of requirements and the same conditions for only one candidate than if we had two and perhaps we put the bar higher than if we had two," said Blatter. "There was an extraordinary presentation by the delegation and we witnessed that this World Cup will have such a big social and cultural impact in Brazil. "This the country that has given to the world the best football and the best footballers, five times world champions, and if we don't stop the invasion of Brazilian footballers then in years to come we may have only Brazilians in all the national teams! That's why the executive committee has decided unananimously to give the right and the responsibility to organise the 2014 World Cup to Brazil." Brazil now face the daunting task of building or completely refurbishing every single one of their stadia for the tournament. Fifa's inspection report has identified 18 grounds with more than 40,000 capacity that could host matches and these will be whittled down to nine or 10. However, of the 18 four would have to be built from scratch and all of the other 14 undergo substantial renovation.

Fifa inspectors said the Brazilian football federation had estimated £550m as the budget for building and renewing the grounds but that figure appears very optimistic. So basic are the facilities at the moment that most of the stadia are not even equipped for television commentary. Fifa's inspection report noted that Brazil was "more than capable of hosting an exceptional Fifa World Cup", but added, "surprisingly, most of the stadiums are not equipped for TV commentators. In fact, many of them will use TV commentary positions for the first time thanks to the projects and the necessary Fifa requirements for staging a World Cup." The inspectors said Fifa must maintain close links with the Brazilian organisers - and start immediately. "Brazil has a rich history of hosting sporting and other international events," added the report, "but the standards and demands of the World Cup will far surpass those of any other event staged in the history of Brazil in terms of magnitude and complexity.

"The inspection team is of the opinion that it would be important for Fifa experts to carefully review the process and progress of host city selection to ensure that adequate financing is committed and secured by the time of the deadline for the selection of the host cities and the related stadium facilities or potential stadium construction sites." Meanwhile, Germany were awarded the 2011 women's World Cup ahead of Canada. The Price of Hosting the World Cup | World Policy Institute The Price of Hosting the World Cup June 9, 2014 - 11:24am | admin By Marya Pasciuto In 2007, Brazil was delighted and honored to be chosen as the host nation for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Enjoying rapid economic growth and a dazzling record win in World Cups past, Brazil was poised to establish itself as a major global economic power in 2014. Unfortunately, rampant spending and countless missed deadlines in recent years have left citizens outraged and the government scrambling to finish preparations, even in the weeks leading up to the Cup. This fall from grace is distressing, but the financial and social struggles currently making headlines are reminiscent of the last World Cup.

In light of recent events in Brazil and those in 2010 in host-nation South Africa, one must consider the fact that, for countries with developing economies, hosting major international events such as the World Cup can inflict serious economic and social harm. Brazil’s World Cup woes arguably began even before it was chosen as the 2014 host. FIFA’s bidding process costs millions of dollars and requires that competing nations promise lavish stadiums and hotels for FIFA officials. According to FIFA, this is money well invested; the organization argues that nations which host the famous tournament enjoy increased economic growth due to the tourist revenue as well as opportunities to host other sporting events in the new stadiums that the organization demands be built. Most countries also take World Cup hosting as an impetus to infrastructure improvements such as roads, subway construction, and airport renovation—projects that have long-term benefits for the nation. Brazil’s response to the opportunity to host, however, has been to spend a record-breaking $11.5 billion while failing to complete most of the projects it initiates.

At the end of May, football legend and member of the World Cup organizing committee Cristiano Ronaldo admitted that only 30 percent of the proposed projects will see completion, and officials are concerned that the country’s still largely outdated airports will be unable to handle the influx of visitors from abroad. Even after they arrive, World Cup spectators may be underwhelmed with the games’ venues: an estimated $3.6 billion of taxpayer money has gone into the construction and renovation of massive stadiums, most of which were incomplete as of the end of May and are unlikely to see proper use after the 20th World Cup comes to a close. A large portion of the Brazilian population is up in arms over the astronomical cost of preparing for the World Cup and the utter lack of progress achieved. Citizen protests have attracted international attention—it seems that despite their enthusiasm for football, Brazil's citizens have had enough of their government spending billions on a month-long tournament while their schools and hospitals suffer. Their countless demonstrations are likely to continue throughout the Cup. Troubling strikes also have threatened Brazil in the weeks leading up to the Cup. In São Paulo, civil police have gone on strike over low pay.

Bus workers also brought the city to its knees in late May when they abandoned their posts, surprising both commuters and officials by parking their buses (or leaving them in the streets) and closing down several terminals. If the government fails to address these professional strikes during the World Cup, the streets of São Paulo will be unsafe and impossible to navigate, harming visitors and citizens alike. Brazil’s homeless populations have also protested, with thousands of displaced families setting up camp in a lot near the São Paulo stadium set to hold the Cup’s opening game. The camp, which the families have named 'The People's Cup,' will impede traffic to the games and serve as a reminder to tourists and locals alike of the suffering among Brazil's poor populations. Such widespread civil unrest is raising eyebrows worldwide as football fans across the globe, along with Brazilian officials, become increasingly concerned that the World Cup will fail to run as planned. It is important to understand that the fiscal and logistical headaches, and the ensuing social consequences surrounding the World Cup, are not unique to Brazil. South Africa, another nation with developing economies , played host to FIFA in 2010 with similar results.

While the tournament itself was successful, the nation, which had enjoyed steady economic growth before becoming a World Cup host, did not receive the economic boost that FIFA promised. Far fewer tourists arrived than were expected, and economic growth actually slowed in South Africa during the month of the tournament. Wasteful spending abounded, as the country spent $1.48 billion on the construction of five new stadiums (and renovation of five existing ones), most of which are far too large for typical non-World Cup games. In response to South Africa’s misplaced fiscal priorities, thousands of disenfranchised citizens protested the Cup. Similar to Brazil and its ongoing struggle with its favelas, South Africa drew negative international attention by imposing mass evictions and displacing slum-dwellers who lived near the FIFA action. Prior to pursuing prestige as World Cup hosts, both Brazil and South Africa appeared ready to step up and perform on the international stage. There’s no way to know for sure whether FIFA’s demands directly caused each nation’s ensuing economic downturns, or the pressures of hosting a truly massive event simply exposed existing fiscal turmoil. It is clear, however, that nations with developing economies do not receive the economic benefits that FIFA promises when they host the Cup.

And often times, citizens suffer as their governments spend billions on what amounts to entertainment rather than on more tangible benefits. Rather than being a boon for developing countries, FIFA leaves such nations worse off both financially and socially. ***** BBC Sport - Football - Fifa reveals 2014 Cup host cities Fifa reveals 2014 Cup host cities Fifa president Sepp Blatter reveals the 12 cities in Nassau Football's ruling body, Fifa, has selected 12 Brazilian cities to host matches at the 2014 World Cup finals. Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Manaus, Belo Horizonte, Natal, Fortaleza, Curitiba, Salvador, Brasilia, Cuiaba, Recife and Porto Alegre have all been chosen. Florianopolis, Goiania, Campo Grande, Belem and Rio Branco all missed out. Fifa, which is holding its annual Congress in the Bahamas, agreed to increase the number of host cities from 10 to 12 because of the size of Brazil.

"In the very beginning, 10 cities were going to be chosen, but thanks to the influence of (Brazilian Football Confederation president) Ricardo Teixeira and the interest of the whole country, we agreed increasing the number to 12," said Fifa president Sepp Blatter. All the stadiums are required to hold at least 40,000 spectators, with the final to be staged in the famous Maracana Stadium which was refurbished in 2006 and reopened in January 2007 with an all-seated capacity of 88,992. Ricardo Teixeira, president of CBF (the Brazilian Football Confederation) briefed Fifa members about all 17 candidate cities. Manaus won the three-way battle between Amazon basin cities Rio Branco and Belem, while Cuiabá was chosen ahead of Campo Grande from the Pantanal zone - an area of outstanding natural beauty and resource. Bookmark with: The footballs during the FIFA World Cup™ 2014 Brazil The brazuca, which means 'Brazilian' and refers to the Brazilian way of life, is the most-tested adidas ball in history.

It was, over a two-and-a-half-year period, tried out by over 600 of the world’s top players or former players including Iker Casillas, Dani Alves, Lionel Messi, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Zinedine Zidane, and 30 teams in ten countries across three continents. The brazuca was also used at a selection of international football matches, albeit with a different design, including a friendly between Sweden and Argentina last February. The brazuca’s colours and ribbon design of the ball panels symbolise the traditional multi-coloured wish bracelets worn in the country, in addition to reflecting the vibrancy and fun associated with football in the South American country. It has a new structural innovation, with a unique symmetry of six identical panels alongside a different surface structure will provide improved grip, touch, stability and aerodynamics on the pitch. 2010 South Africa The adidas Jabulani, which means ‘to celebrate’ in isiZulu, was the official match ball of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ and is already the 11th edition of adidas's FIFA World Cup balls.

The 11 colours that are present on the Jabulani pay tribute to both football and the country in which Africa’s first-ever FIFA World Cup will be held. Grip 'n' groove Jabulani ushers in some major advances in football technology. The grip ’n’ groove’s profile circles twist around round the entire ball in an optimal aerodynamic way and the integrated grooves provide unmatched flight characteristics, making this the most stable and most accurate adidas ball ever. Minimal seam, more perfection As opposed to the flat-paneled molding of previous adidas footballs, Jabulani comprises eight thermally bonded 3D panels that have been, for the first time ever, spherically molded to make this ball a perfectly round football that is more accurate than ever before. 2006 Germany More than three years of extensive research and development were needed to present the adidas +Teamgeist™, the company’s best performing ball ever. Thanks to a revolutionary 14-panel ball configuration, players were able to show their true skills, as the quality and performance characteristics were identical every time they kicked the ball.

The adidas Innovation Team (a.i.t) rigorously tested the new ball for the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™, first under the toughest laboratory conditions possible, later also with professional players and clubs on the field of play. Scientific tests were conducted together with the Sports Technology Research Group of the University of Loughborough, one of the leading institutions of its kind worldwide. These tests confirmed that the adidas +Teamgeist™ was more round, precise and consistent than any top competitor’s match ball. Italy won their fourth world crown in Germany, beating France on penalties in Berlin. If Zinedine Zidane's red card was the final's defining image, Italy's triumph will be remembered as a team effort, with ten different Azzurri players finding the net during the course of the tournament. 2002 Korea/Japan The ball for the FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan™ was known as the “Fevernova”. It was the result of three years of improvement on the “Tricolore” at the adidas research centre in Scheinfeld in southern Germany.

The material consisted of six layers or coatings starting with a natural latex bladder inside, then a three-ply Raschel knitted fabric, syntactic foam, a polyurethane layer, a protected iriodine print and finally transparent polyurethane abrasion-resistant coating. The adidas triad design had now become two single, enlarged triads with the points turning into clockwise arrows in the colours of grey, red and gold. The background was no longer a traditional pure white but more of a champagne colour. Over 2,500 balls were supplied for the finals and an estimated six million of the high-quality match balls and replica-quality balls were sold worldwide. The final was between the two most successful FIFA World Cup™ nations of all time – Brazil and Germany. Ronaldo’s two second-half goals gave Brazil their fifth FIFA World Cup™ title and firmly put the ghosts of the France ’98 final to rest. It was a hard-fought and equal match befitting a clash of two of world football’s titans, but Ronaldo had the touch of greatness that separated the two teams in Yokohama, Japan.

1998 France The “Tricolore” used in 1998 was the first coloured ball to be designed for the FIFA World Cup™. Its triads incorporated the symbols of the host nation, France, i.e. a cockerel, a high-speed train and a turbine. The ball itself was based on an entirely new synthetic material featuring “syntactic foam”, claiming to give better compression and more explosive rebound characteristics than its predecessor. The foam was made up of gas-filled micro-bubbles that distributed energy equally when the ball was kicked. This was the final that everyone had hoped for. The world champions against the home nation, but it was a strangely subdued Brazil who took the field, the crowd rife with rumours that there was a fitness problem with Brazil’s star player Ronaldo. France were determined to win on home territory, and they did so easily with two headed goals from their future World Player of the Year, Zinedine Zidane. Emmanuel Petit added a third to make it 3-0.

So, at last France, the home of Jules Rimet, the creator of the FIFA World Cup™ and the team that had been an unlucky semi-finalist in both 1982 and 1986, had got their just deserts and the country partied the night away. 1994 USA The ball was called the “Questra” to indicate the USA’s quest for the stars, so the shapes were incorporated into the triads. The ball itself was developed in France and then thoroughly tested by teams and players in both Europe and the USA. The ball was manufactured from five different materials with a final durable but flexible outer layer made from polyurethane. Brazil met Italy in the final – a repeat of 1970. Brazil were unable to break down the Italian defence even though there were some near misses. Roberto Baggio had been Italy’s star striker in the earlier rounds, but he was suffering with a hamstring injury and was not at his best. At the end of 120 minutes, the score was 0-0. So for the first time, a World Cup final was decided on penalties. Brazil’s Marcio Santos missed, as did Baresi and Massaro for Italy.

Up stepped Baggio to try and level the scores but he fired the ball straight over the top of Taffarel’s goal and Brazil had won their fourth FIFA World Cup™. 1990 Italy The “Etrusco” triads featured an Etruscan lion within their design. The ball was again manufactured entirely from fully synthetic fibre layers, including one of latex to create stability and resistance to tearing, a layer of neoprene to make the ball water-tight and an outer skin of polyurethane for abrasion resistance and good rebound qualities. Argentina met Germany FR – for the second World Cup running – in the final. The only goal in a very poor game came from an 85th-minute penalty after Völler had been brought down in the area. Brehme’s spot kick won the match for the Germans. Two Argentinians were sent off – Monzon for a tackle on Klinsmann and, in the 87th minute, Dezotti was shown the red card when he tried to wrestle the ball off Kohler, whom he considered was trying to waste time. Franz Beckenbauer became only the second man to win a World Cup both as a player and a manager.

1986 Mexico The “Azteca” was a completely new model made of synthetic material in layers, each with different properties to give strength to the ball, help it retain its shape and be fully waterproof. This was also the first ball to feature a unique FIFA World Cup™ design – the triads were based on an Aztec mural. The final was between a workmanlike Germany FR, coached by former captain Franz Beckenbauer, and an inspired Argentina. Argentina were 2-0 up in the second half and appeared to be coasting to victory, but German determination shone through – not for the first time in a World Cup final – and by the 82nd minute they had levelled the score. Willed on by the crowd, Argentina surged forward and captain Maradona sent a perfectly weighted pass into space for Burruchaga, who confidently slotted the ball past Schumacher to make it 3-2. Maradona did not score in the final itself but there was no doubt about who had now inherited the title of the world’s best player.

1982 Spain The “Tango España” designed for Spain 1982 was the first to be made of a mix of real leather and synthetic material. It had a polyurethane coating to provide a more efficient water repellent. No one could accuse Italy of using their traditional defensive tactics in the final against Germany FR. Although they had one of the world’s finest-ever goalkeepers, 40-year-old Dino Zoff, their constant attack left the Germans outclassed. In the 59th minute, Paolo Rossi, who had already scored five goals in the previous two games, put Italy in the lead, diving to head home from a Gentile cross. Italy won 3-1 and missed a penalty to boot! 1978 Argentina By this time, adidas were well into the pattern of choosing names appropriate for the host nation, so “Tango” was the name chosen for the ball used in Argentina in 1978. It was the first to feature the adidas trademark, which was a printed design of interconnected curved-edge triangles known as “triads”. The home team arrived five minutes late on the pitch for the final in Buenos Aires.

This incensed the Dutch, who abandoned their “total football” for a more aggressive game, which was matched by Argentina. It was the ball control of Kempes that made the difference. His second goal was the best, and it came in extra time when he skipped past two defenders and the goalkeeper, beat two more defenders on the line and slotted the ball into the net. Luque scored the final goal to make it 3-1. The Netherlands had the world’s sympathy after losing their second consecutive final, but it was Argentina who lifted the cup in a storm of blue-and-white ticker tape. 1974 Germany The World Cup in Germany FR in 1974 saw a similar design called “Telstar Durlast”. In the final, the hosts were up against the world’s most talented team, the Netherlands. The great Johan Cruyff began the game sensationally with a run from one end of the pitch to the other without a German touching the ball until he was tripped by Hoeness. After scoring from the ensuing penalty, the Dutch, perhaps now overconfident, began to play the ball around the bemused Germans.

But suddenly a penalty was awarded against them when Jansen tripped Breitner – 1-1. Each team then bombarded the other’s goal until just before half time when Bonhof raced down the wing and crossed for Müller to seal the match with his 68th goal for his country ... and to allow that other great German player, Franz Beckenbauer, to lift the FIFA World Cup Trophy at the third attempt. 1970 Mexico Mexico saw the dawn of a new era when adidas began its long-standing partnership with FIFA to supply footballs for all FIFA tournaments. It was also the first time a ball had been given a unique FIFA World Cup™ name appropriate to the time. “Telstar” was a small spherical communications satellite launched from Florida in 1962, but it probably became the most famous satellite of all time partly because of the pop instrumental of the same name, which was a worldwide hit for The Tornados. The 32-panel leather ball with white hexagons and black pentagons bore a strong resemblance to the satellite, which had a light background covered in dark panels.

Many designs have superseded the “Telstar” but it still remains the definitive design used by artists, graphic designers and cartoonists when they want to illustrate a football. adidas delivered a mere 20 balls for use in the finals and sold an estimated 600,000 match balls and replica balls following the tournament. Brazil v. Italy matched attack against defence in the final. Brazil took the lead when Pelé rose high above the defence to score with a spectacular header. A careless back-heel from Clodoaldo let Italy back into the match but soon Gerson hit a low shot to make it 2-1. Jairzinho, the only player to score in every round, ran the ball into the net for a third and captain Carlos Alberto thundered in the fourth with a magnificent, powerful drive. Having won their third final, Brazil rightly claimed the Jules Rimet Trophy as their own. 1966 England The FIFA World Cup™ was held in England in 1966 and The Football Association invited the top manufacturers to supply an unmarked ball each, from which the final choice would be made. Slazenger, a sports manufacturer based in Dewsbury in Yorkshire, was one of the chosen few.

It was decided that Malcolm Wainwright, then 32, who had been making balls since he was 15 and was regarded as the firm’s best stitcher, would produce the sample ball. “I made about 20 balls all told,” he said. “They were 24-panel balls, which meant that there were six panels made up of three long strips of leather but the centre panels of these three strips had a further seam at right angles just to give more strength. I was asked to take extra care over them.” “They checked them for weight but then the manager would also check them over visually. Simply by using his eyes and his experience, he could tell see whether or not the shape was completely round and the seams were perfect. Anyway, he took the best one and sent it down to London.” The balls were laid out on a table in at FA headquarters in London. None were branded, but merely numbered, and were then examined by experts for circumference, loss of pressure, weight, bounce and so on. Happily for Slazenger, their ball was chosen. Wainwright and seven others were tasked with stitching the 300 balls needed for the 1966 FIFA World Cup™.

Each would have written his name inside the ball. This was normal practice for the stitchers because, before sewing the final seam, each ball went to a specialist for the bladder to be inserted and was then returned to the same man for the final seam to be sewn. An important point given that the stitchers were paid on piece work! The actual ball used in England’s 4-2 win over Germany FR in the 1966 final disappeared for many years. It should have gone to Geoff Hurst, the only man ever to score a hat-trick in a FIFA World Cup™ final, but it ended up being taken by the West German player Helmut Haller, whose son apparently kicked it about in his back garden for many years. It is now in the National Football Museum in Preston in England and the only way to find out who made the actual ball would be to unpick a seam and take a look at the name inside – a tempting thought! 1962 Chile The balls used in Chile 1962 did not correspond at all with European standards. During wet weather, there were complaints that the balls were “drinking” water and were losing their colour in the sun.

Indeed, before kick-off in the very first match between Chile and Switzerland, the referee, Ken Aston of England, asked to see the five balls that were to be used for the game. He was so horrified by their parlous, peeling state that he sent for a new ball, which only arrived ten minutes into the second half. Therefore, a number of European balls were quickly used as substitutes for the local brands for many of the remaining matches. In the final, champions Brazil met surprise finalists Czechoslovakia in Santiago. The Czechs scored first. They were supposed to be strong defensively but in this match it was their goalkeeper Schroif who was at fault for all the Brazilian goals. First he allowed Amarildo to put the ball between himself and the goalpost from a seemingly impossible angle, then he was out of position for the second – a header by Zito, and finally, he fumbled and dropped a hopeful cross from Djalma Santos and Vava happily pumped the ball into the net for the 3-1 win. 1958 Sweden Just Fontaine of France set a tournament record of 13 goals in these finals, which still stands but nevertheless, it was Brazil and host nation Sweden who met in the final in Stockholm.

Sweden surprisingly scored first but Garrincha swerved miraculously past two defenders and cut the ball back for Vava to score. Twenty minutes later, Vava scored again. Pelé, only 17, scored the third, trapping the ball on his thigh, hooking it over his head, swivelling and volleying past Svensson. For his second, he rose high above the defence to power in a majestic header. Brazil won 5-2 and were on their way towards becoming the world’s best football team with the man who would eventually be named as the world’s best-ever footballer. The 18-panel ball was designed with zig-zag interlocking seams so that there was less stress on the stitching. 1954 Switzerland Hungary were two goals up within eight minutes in the final in Berne, but remarkably Germany FR had equalised within another eight. Pouring rain drenched the players and the crowd during the game but German goalkeeper Turek was in fine form, making save after save on the slippery pitch.

Five minutes from the end, Schaefer crossed the ball into a crowded goalmouth and it eventually reached Rahn, who controlled it, advanced, seemed to pause and then drove it past Hungarian goalkeeper Grosics with his left foot. Perhaps if Puskas, their great left-footed striker, had been fully fit Hungary might have won. The Magnificent Magyars lost only one match between 1950 and 1956, and that was the most important match of all. The 18-panel ball similar to the one illustrated left made its first appearance here and was used, in various forms, until 1966. 1950 Brazil The first post-war finals in Brazil in 1950 still saw the use of the traditional 12-panel ball, but with curved edges to create less stress on the seams. Again, the balls used in the finals would have been made by a local manufacturer. This particular ball is from the legendary match in Belo Horizonte when the heavyweights of England played the United States.

In those days, football or “soccer” was very much a minority sport in the USA and when the unfancied Americans beat the English 1-0, the entire football world was astounded. Such was the magnitude of the occasion that the ball was kept as a souvenir and it can now been see in the Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta, New York State, USA. For the record, in the final itself, the hosts Brazil were devastated to be beaten 2-1 by rivals Uruguay. 1938 France Cup-holders Italy this time faced the majestic Hungarians in the final in Paris. The Italians were dynamic, employing modern tactics that left the Hungarians looking static although they did manage to score two goals. Some fine midfield and wing play had put Italy 3-2 up when, ten minutes from the end, following some skilful interpassing, Biavati back-heeled a pass to centre-forward Piola, who smashed it into the goal to make it 4-2. France was at war a year later and there would be no more FIFA World Cups™ for 12 years.

As in the two previous finals, the 12-panel ball would have come from local suppliers and would have been of brown leather. 1934 Italy The second FIFA World Cup™ found hosts Italy up against Czechoslovakia in the final. Eight minutes from the end, the Czechs were 1-0 up when Italy’s Orsi, receiving the ball from Guaita, ran through the Czech defence, feinted with his left foot but shot with his right. The ball swerved wildly for some reason and curled past the outstretched goalkeeper and into the net. Italy scored again in extra time to take the trophy. The following day, Orsi tried 20 times to repeat his ball-bending trick for the benefit of photographers and failed, even with an empty net! The ball would have been similar to the one illustrated here and it is possible that it may have become slightly distorted by the end of the match, which may have caused the swerve rather than being it entirely due to Orsi’s skill! 1930 Uruguay The 1930 ball would have been a 12-piece construction similar to the illustration on the left, but in fact two balls were used in the final itself!

This saw hosts Uruguay pitted against Argentina. There was a heated argument about which ball was to be used – the Uruguayan ball or the Argentinian ball. The ball from the hosts, Uruguay, was allegedly somewhat larger than that of Argentina, although, given that the required circumference of the ball has always been between 68 and 70cm, the difference should hardly have been noticeable. In the end, the only way to resolve the disagreement was for the teams to agree to use the Argentinian ball in the first half and the Uruguayan ball in the second half. Suffice to say that Argentina led 2-1 at half time and Uruguay won the game 4-2! Football facts World Cup 2014: Fifa sound alarm as Brazilian venues fall behind schedule - Telegraph Brazil World Cup 2014: Fifa sound alarm as Brazilian venues fall behind schedule The 12 Brazilian cities nominated as venues for the 2014 World Cup have been given a month to prove they can deliver their promised stadium projects after Fifa warned that the country "is not on the right path" to host the tournament.

Distant goal: The Maracana stadium, scheduled to host the final, is in need of a massive upgrade Photo: AP By Rory Smith and Andrew Downie 7:10PM BST 06 May 2010 Jerome Valcke, the Fifa general secretary, has admitted that he is alarmed at how little work has been carried out in the 30 months since Brazil was unanimously chosen to hold the competition. It is thought the game's governing body is keen to avoid a repeat of the concerns over South Africa's infrastructure, still lingering with the start of the tournament just weeks away. "It is amazing that Brazil is already very late," said Valcke. "I got a report on the status of the Brazilian stadiums and I have to say it is not very nice. The stadiums are the basic points we need to have a World Cup and in Brazil, for the time being, most of the deadlines are already over and we have to work on new deadlines. "They are proving how difficult it is to hold a World Cup in Brazil, just as it was in South Africa. The red light has been switched on. Brazil is not on the right path. This year there is a presidential election, so almost nothing will happen.

Next year, carnival comes along. So is everything going to start only after carnival? "All the things they have promised, all the commitments from different people, they have to deliver these commitments. We do not want a hasty World Cup done at the last minute." Brazilian officials yesterday started a two-week inspection of the 12 projects, which include five new stadiums and comprehensive upgrades of Rio de Janeiro's iconic Maracana, scheduled to host the final, Sao Paulo's Morumbi and five others around the country. Related Articles

Question: Which country was chosen by FIFA to host the football world cup in 2014?
Answer: BRAZIL